Page 1877 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010
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you adjust the taxation for inflation, you get a different picture. It is very convenient, Mr Smyth, to just ignore things such as inflation. But the government cannot and I think our budget indicates that. It is very convenient for your quick political shot—not so convenient for telling the honest truth. Again, I am happy to provide members with a more sophisticated slide show—
Mr Smyth: We kept it simple so you could understand it.
MS GALLAGHER: It took me a bit of time to work out what you were doing. But I am very happy to—
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Treasurer.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, as you were just unable to find a single incorrect figure in the presentation, will you withdraw your comments?
MS GALLAGHER: No, I will not withdraw the comments. The figures require context. I will provide members with the estimated revenue as estimated in 2008-09 for the following forward estimates and then what actually happened in the 2009-10 budget when the global financial crisis hit and we lost $1.1 billion across our forward estimates. As I said, it does not surprise us that a lazy opposition with no ideas that is going to stand up and go on, I imagine—
Mr Smyth: That was the estimate.
MS GALLAGHER: for 3½ hours this afternoon, about a budget—
Mr Smyth: Just one—one single incorrect figure.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MS GALLAGHER: missed opportunity, high taxing, more revenue than ever before. We are all going to hear it.
MR SPEAKER: The clocks, thank you. Mr Smyth, you are now warned as well. I have said time and time again that we cannot have repeated interventions across the chamber. A few comments are okay, but the constant hectoring is not.
Mr Smyth: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I accept your direction, Mr Speaker. The minister again is failing to answer the question and point out a single incorrect figure. You might bring her back to the subject of the question and, if she does not have an answer, sit her down.
MS GALLAGHER: Mr Speaker, the opposition has been alleging that the global financial crisis had no impact on our budget. That is simply incorrect. It is a head in the sand approach, politically convenient for the 2½ hours that we are going to listen to them bleat on today. We are actually going to run a book on how many times they say “big new tax”, “great tax” or “massive tax”.
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